If you were part of my generation, Saturday mornings were the best part of the week. You’d get up early, pour a bowl of your favourite sugary cereal, and settle in for a solid five hours of cartoons, or the occasional live-action show, on the three major networks. It was a weekly ritual: comforting, predictable, and absolutely magical.
Before diving into some of my favourite children’s records based on those now-classic shows, one clarification is in order. Not every series we associate with Saturday mornings actually began there. Some originally aired in prime time before finding new life as early-morning reruns. And for the sake of accuracy, shows like He-Man, She-Ra, ThunderCats, and Transformers do not qualify here. They aired in weekday syndication on local stations, not as part of the network Saturday-morning lineup.
Here are my favourites, in no particular order:
1. Scooby-Doo (Peter Pan, 1976/77)
The adventures of the famous cowardly Great Dane and his mystery-solving friends first appeared on CBS in 1969, later moving to ABC in 1976, and have entertained audiences ever since. By the mid-1970s, Peter Pan Records had produced four 7-inch read-alongs featuring the then-current cast, with one notable exception. Casey Kasem, the voice of Shaggy, was unavailable, so actor Duncan Robertson stepped in. Three of those stories were compiled into the first album release. Two additional albums followed, this time with Kasem back in the role.
2. Original TV Adventures of King Kong (Epic, 1966)
Debuting on ABC in the fall of 1966 through Videocraft International Ltd., years before the company rebranded as Rankin/Bass Productions, each episode featured two King Kong adventures plus a comedic interlude starring secret agent Tom of T.H.U.M.B. Those interludes are absent from the LP. The Epic album presents the original soundtrack, including the opening theme (“Ten times as big as a man…”), four stories with additional narration by Bob McFadden, and the closing theme.
3. The Flintstones (Colpix, 1961)
The Flintstones was the first animated sitcom to air in prime time, it ran for six seasons on ABC from 1960 to 1966 before becoming a Saturday-morning staple on NBC. The Colpix album contains the original soundtracks of two full episodes, The Great Bank Robbery and The Snorkasaurus, presented with minimal sound effects and music. Alan Reed, as Fred Flintstone, provides brief narration to guide listeners through key visual moments.
4. The Jetsons (Colpix, 1962)
Although it aired in prime time on ABC for only one season (1962–63), the series found extended life in reruns across all three networks. The Colpix album includes two complete episode soundtracks, Rosie the Robot and A Date with Jet Screamer, laugh track included. From the latter comes the unforgettable “Eep Opp Ork Ah Ah,” clipped ending and all.
5. The Krofft Supershow (Kaptain Kool and the Kongs) (Peter Pan, 1978)
The lone live-action entry. Airing on ABC from 1976 to 1978 before being retooled as The Krofft Superstar Hour on NBC, it featured glam-rock hosts Kaptain Kool and the Kongs introducing serialized segments. The Peter Pan album draws from the second season, offering an abridged theme, comedy bits, and edited audio adaptations of Magic Mongo, Wonderbug, and Bigfoot and Wildboy, with narration by Steve Susskind.
6. The Funky Phantom (Peter Pan, 1972)
One of many Scooby-Doo-inspired mystery series, The Funky Phantom followed three teens and their dog aided by Revolutionary War ghost Jonathan Wellington Muddlemore. The Peter Pan album features a lively rendition of the theme and four original audio stories. The voice cast includes Peter Fernandez, Corrine Orr, and Lionel Wilson, familiar names to animation fans.
7. The Alvin Show (Liberty, 1961)
After a brief prime-time run on CBS (1961–62), The Alvin Show found renewed popularity in Saturday-morning reruns. Each episode featured a Chipmunks adventure, Clyde Crashcup segments, and musical numbers. The Liberty album uses the original theme soundtrack and compiles songs and dialogue from multiple episodes, hosted and narrated by Alvin.
8. Fangface (Peter Pan, 1978/79)
The first series from Ruby-Spears Productions, founded by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, Fangface aired on ABC from 1978 to 1979. The Peter Pan album includes four studio-performed audio stories. The final tale, Superfrog, stands out for its noticeably different tone.
9. The U.S. of Archie (Peter Pan, 1975)
Produced by Filmation and airing on CBS from 1974 to 1976, the series tied into Bicentennial enthusiasm. The Peter Pan album retains original cast dialogue but replaces the series score and omits the educational songs. The voice cast includes Dallas McKennon (Archie/Chuck), Jane Webb (Betty/Veronica), John Erwin (Reggie), and Howard Morris (Jughead/Big Moose).
10. Rocky and His Friends (Golden, 1961)
Originally airing twice weekly on ABC, Rocky and His Friends continued on NBC as The Bullwinkle Show and transitioned to Saturday-morning reruns in 1964. The Golden Records LP is widely regarded as one of the finest TV tie-ins of its era, featuring much of the original cast, with Paul Frees stepping in as narrator. It delivers music, comedy sketches, and even a Fractured Fairy Tales segment.
11. Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies (Parker Brothers, 1985)
Inspired by a fantasy sequence in The Muppets Take Manhattan, Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies series debuted on CBS in 1984 and ran for eight seasons. The Parker Brothers album uses the original theme and first-season music, with newly recorded dialogue by the cast. Columbia Records reissued it in 1987.
And for honourable mention…
12. Multiplication Rock (Capitol, 1973)
Although it first appeared within Curiosity Shop in 1971, the segments became synonymous with Saturday mornings through Schoolhouse Rock. The Capitol soundtrack album allowed children to revisit the songs repeatedly, reinforcing lessons that lasted long after the cartoons ended.
And there you have it. A nostalgic journey through some remarkable albums and the shows that inspired them.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m hearing something familiar…
(Overture, curtain, lights… this is it… we’ll hit the heights…)
Oops. Gotta go. Bugs Bunny is on.
